Gun aiming and firing means



B. DARSIE I GUN AIMING AND FIRING MEANS Oct. 19, 1948.

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Patented Got. 19, 1948 l 'l' E srArss PATENT ECE GUN ING AND FIRING MEANS Burns Darsie, Bayonne, N. J., assigner to Electric Boat Company, Groton, Conn., a corporation of New Jersey 6 Claims.

My invention relates to ordnance, and particularly to a mount and accessories for maneuvering and operating relatively small caliber guns for anti-aircraft re from relatively small naval vessels.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a mount and grip means for quick maneuverability of the gun, in traverse and in elevation, by hand, by a single gunner, and for firing oi' the gun, with minimum effort on the part of the gunner, whatever be the aimed position. A further feature lies in special means for cooking the gun, whereby this necessary act can be performed with ease. Subsidiary features will be made point of as the description proceeds.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational View, showing the gun in position of maximum elevation in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is an elevational View, from the opposite side, showing the manner of pointing the gun;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation;

Figure 4 is a front elevation, parts being broken away and shown in section in order to show the means whereby the gun is mounted for traverse;

Figure 5 is a plan view;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 6-5 of Figure 5 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Figure 'l is a fragmentary perspective View particularly showing the means for operating the trigger of the gun.

Like reference characters are applied respectively to the same parts throughout the various figures.

The entire structure is mounted on a circular base 8, which is a casting of substantial size and weight and is suitably bolted to the deck, deck plate 9 intervening.

A turntable is mounted on this base, and this turntable comprises a main supporting ring lil, carrying the circular crowned.v covering apron Il of iron sheet, this apron being supplemented by a transverse tunnel housing l2 forming the bight of a yoke to which further reference will be made presently (Fig. 4). A downwardly extending flange I3 on the ring I6 carries the housing band I4 about the periphery of this apron.

The ring i5 is provided with a plurality of short inwardly extending arms I5, each of which is provided with a bearing I6, in which is mounted a stub shaft Il carrying a roller I8, and these rollers run upon the circular track I9 formed on the base 8. Extending centrally downward, from the inside of the apron ll, is a .tube 20, which centers the turntable on the base, with the rollers i8 on the track I9, by engagement in the central bearing 2| on the base, the lower end of the tube 2B being provided with a hold-down nut 22 by means of which the turntable and base are held together, with adequate play for free rotation of the one upon the other.

The yoke, which has already been referred to, comprises the tunnel housing l2 and the hollow iron sheet uprights 23, 23; and it will be seen presently that the gun itself is hung in this yoke.

The upper end portion of the inner wall of each of the uprights 23 is in the form of a special supporting member 24, of more substantial thickness than the iron plate of the uprights, this supporting member being welded in place as part of the upright and providing for the support of a pivot bolt 25, and, upon these two pivot bolts, complementary supporting brackets 2S, 28 are hung, roller bearings 2l intervening,

These brackets 26, 25 are, in effect, L-shaped in cross-section, the horizontal elements extending toward each other to form a cradle for the reception of the gun carriage 28, bridging and bolted to said horizontal elements. The gun 29 is mounted on the carriage 28; the magazine of the gun is indicated at 3D, and its cartridge case collecting bag at 3|. The reference numeral lll, Figure 5, designates the breech end of the gun.

The gun construction, per se, is not part of this invention and, for simplicity, there is just sufcient showing of the gun to indicate its nature and its mounting, and to represent those parts thereof that are directly concerned with the means which I provide for cooking and ring the same. The gun shown is of appropriate caliber and is automatic, i. e. it continues to nre shots in rapid succession so long as the trigger is drawn and cartridges are fed, and it is red in bursts as occasion may require.

The gun, thus mounted on the axis of the pivot bolts 25, 25, is fairly balanced, as between muzzle and breech, and can be swung in elevation from approximately horizontal position, about five degrees depression, to Vertical as indicated in dotted lines in Figure l.

The gun is manipulated manually -by means lof tw-o elongated grips 32 and 33 extending upwardly from opposite sides of the breech. They are of arcuate shape about the axis of elevation, in lateral alignment and of the same length, but of diiferent con-struction as will appear presently. T -e lower endsof thesegrips are fixed to the breech of the gun by means of the cross member 35i, 34 and are distanced from each other for natural grasping by the gunners left and right hands, respectively. The upper ends of the grips are iixedly bridged by the cross member 35. The upper end of the grip 32 is also connected with bracket 26, on the corresponding side, by means of the truss rod 36, preferably of steel-tubingyand the other grip 33 is connected midway with the opposite bracket 26 by means of a similar truss rod 31.

It will thus be seen that the members 32, 33, BQ, 35, 36 and 31 form a handle framework, xed to the .breech of the gun, and that the 'grips 32 `and 33 can be grasped by the two hands, respectively, of the gunner, as illustrated in Figure 2. As the gun is swung in elevation, the gunnercan slip the grips in his hands, always occupying substantially the same position relative to the axis of elevation, and thus the gunner can maintain his position'for aiming with'little change throughout the range of elevation. In handling the gun in elevation, he arrives at an approximate aim by simply slipping the grips through his hands, in one direction or the other, and, upon arriving at an approximation, he does his nal aiming .with his hands firmly clutched to rthe grips.

For operating the gun in train, he-simply swings it about its vertical axis, this being -an easy operation due to the roller mounting of the superstructure upon the circular base 8, maintaining his same position in back of the gun at all times.

When out of action, the gun occupies the vertical position shown in Adotted lines in Figure l, and it is held there by a mechanism which also locks it against traverse, and which will now be described.

Referring particularly to Figure 6, it vwill be seen that the Vring Ill is provided with an enlargement, exposed through the apron Il and provided with a vertical bore for the reciprocating plunger 38, urged upwardly by means of the spring 39. The lower end of the-plunger is adapted to enter an opening '4U in thebase 8, thus hold the ring ii), and all that is vcarried with it, against rotation on the base. The plunger 38 passes through a related opening vin a cant catch 6l, urged upwardly by spring 42, and, when the plunger is depressed, that catch operates automatically to hold it in that position against the upward force of the spring 39. When the cant catch is independently depressed, the plunger is permitted to move upwardly, under the force of the spring 39.

The plunger is provided with a head'43. A lever ed is pivotally mounted, at 45, in a bracket on the apron Il, the power arm of said lever being bifurcated and engaging under the head 43, as shown. This lever is so formed, and the relationship is such, that when the plunger is in its Vlowered position, the load arm of the lever extends up to that position'in-which it will latch ybehind the cross member 34 on the Vlowered breech, as indicated in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 6. Thus, when the gunner swings the 'gun to upright position, and brings theturntable into position with the plunger 38 over opening 45, of which there may be more than one if desired, and then lowers the plunger by pressing his foot down upon the head 23, all is lock-ed in out-of-action condition. To free the gun :for action, he simply momentarily depresses the cant cat-ch with his toe, which allows the plunger to rise, under vthe pressure `of the spring 39, out Yof Ythe opening 40, release of the lcant catch -resulting in the -raising of the power arm of the lever 44 and the lowering of the load arm thereof away from the cross member 34 under the pressure of the spring 42.

Considering the gunner in the position shown in Figure 2, i-t will be obvious how he can move to his left or right, in order to manipulate the gun in train, a't all times keeping his posture for manipulating the gun in elevation. A sight, preferably a unit sight, 4S is conveniently mounted on the cross member 35.

Means is provided automatically to elevate the gun when rotated in traverse to a vertical plane intersecting vessel superstructure, thus to relieve the gunner of concern in that regard. This means is in 4the form of linkage comprising the rod 47, connected at one end Ito the gun a't 48, and at .the other end t0 one arm of a bell crank lever Q8' pivoted on the turntable at L29. The other arm of the bell crank lever is connected by link 5@ with lever 5l pivoted to the `turntable at 52, this last-'named lever being provided with a cam follower 53 for following the cam 5ft on the deck plate 9. It will be seen that, when the turntable is brought around to a position where 'the follower 53 rides upon the cam 54, ythe gun will be elevated, and the cam is so located and form-ed as to keep the line of re Iaway from deck superstructure.

The gun is cocked by means of a cable 55 attached, at one end, at 53, to one of the uprights 23, and, at the other end, to the breech mechanism slide 5l of the gun at 58, this cable passing over the idler pulley 53 pivoted on arm @il on the gun carriage 28. The pulley 59 is so located that, when the gun is in upright position, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1, the breech mechanism slide 57 is in its l"forward and uncooked position. VIt will be noted that when the gun is in this position, the grips 32 and 33, though in their lowered position, have their upper ends high enough for-the gunner tograsp them conveniently and eiectively, and his rst act, after releasing the cant catch 3 I, in order to release the gun, freeing it for movement in elevation, is to swing the gun into horizontal position, i. e. the position shown in `full lines in Figure l. This act, due to the relative positions of the points 5e, '5S and 53, and the paths of movement of the later two, brings about the drawing back of the breech mechanism slide by means of the cable, as indicated in Figure 1 (dotted lines to full lines), and'it is -material that this cockingaction is thus spread over nearly the entire movement of the gun from vertical to horizontal position, thus reducing the lphysical eiort necessary in this operation. A marked mechanical advantage is secured by the fact thatthe movement of the points 58 and 59 relative-to the point 56 is in the nature of a'toggle action, i. e. as the-gun approaches the horizontal position, the point 53 -approaches the straight line passing through the points 56 and 53; in this way, the mechanical advantage increases as incr-eased force is necessary, and the cooking of the gun is accomplished with a minimum of physical effort.

The means for operating the trigger of the gun is of special importance and is as follows:

Reference is made particularly to Figure 7.

One of the arcuate grips, i. e. vthe right hand grip 33, is of ordinary tubing, bent to shape and forming a rigid part of the handle structure. The other grip 32 comprises, lrstly, a rigid arcuate tubing member -62, bent to the same shape as-thatof the grip33but being of somewhat lesser diameter. Surrounding the tubing member 62, practically throughout its length, is a tubing member 63 which is of inherent limited flexibility, such as a woven metal hose, fitting fairly snugly on the tubing member 62 and being capable of rotation about its own arcuate axis Its external diameter is preferably approximately equal to the external diameter of the grip 33.

At its lower end, this outer tubing member 63 has a coupling 6a soldered or otherwise secured thereto and thus rotatable with the tubing member 63 on the tubing member 62. This coupling has a laterally extending arm 65 and that arm is operatively connected to the trigger of the gun so that, as the grip is held in the gunners left hand for aiming purposes, he can simultaneously rotate the outer tubing on the inner tubing and thus operate the trigger. The trigger operating member is indica-ted at 56 and is L-shaped, its horizontal arm being connected, by means of a ball-and-socket joint 5l, with one end of a link 68, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 69 to the arm 65 of the coupling 64. It will be seen that as the coupling 64 is rotated on the inner tubing 62, by means of the rotation of the outer tubing 63 thereon, the trigger is readily operated to re the gun, and this operation is precisely the same wherever the gunner happens to be grasping the outer tubing in his aiming the gun.

I claim:

1. In a gun pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis, said gun having a breech end, the combination of a trigger-operating member on said gun, a curved elongated handle member of circular cross-section xedly attached to and extending upwardly from the breech end of said gun, a tubular grip member litt-ed on and rotatable on said handle member and substantially co-eXtensive in length therewith, and means to transmit the rotatable motion of said grip member to the trigger-operating member of said gun.

2. In a, gun pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis, said gun having a breech end, the combination of a trigger-operating member on said gun, a curved elongated handle member of circular cross-section xedly attached to and extending upwardly from the breech end of said gun, a tubular grip member of limited exibility fitted on and rotatable on said handle member and substantially co-extensive in length therewith, a coupling surrounding the lower end of said handle member and attached to the lower end of said grip member, a laterally extending arm mounted on said coupling, and linkage means operatively interconnecting said arm with said trigger-operating member whereby rotatable motion of said grip member is transmitted to said trigger-operating member.

3. In a gun pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis, said gun having a breech end, the combination of a trigger-operating member `on said'gun,

a, cross-member xed to the breech end of said gun so as to project on opposite sides thereof, a pair of curved elongated handle members secured to and extending upwardly from opposite ends of said cross-member, a tubular grip member fitted on 'and rotatable on one of said handle members and substantially co-extensive in length therewith, and means to transmit the rotatable motion of said grip member to the trigger-operating member of said gun.

4. In a gun pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis, said gun having a breech end, the combination of a trigger-operating member on said gun, an arcuate elongated handle member of circular crosssection fixedly attached to and extending upwardly from the breech end of said gun with the axis of curvature of said handle member being coincident with said horizontal axis, a tubular grip member fitted on and rotatable on said handle member and substantially co-extensive in length therewith, and means to transmit the rotatable motion of said grip member to the triggeroperating member ofA said gun.

5. In combination, a turntable having a supporting yoke, a gun cradle hung in said yoke on a horizontal axis, about which it is pivotable, a gun set in said cradle, a tripper-operating member on said gun, a handle framework comprising a cross member attached to the breech end of said gun, a pair of curved elongated handle members extending upwardly from said cross-member on opposite sides of said gun, said handle members being arcuate about said horizontal axis, a cross member connecting the upper end of said handle members, truss members connecting each of said handle members with said cradle, a tubular grip member fitted on and rotatable on one of said handle members and substantially co-extensive in length therewith, and means to transmit the rotatable motion of said grip member to the trigger operating member of said gun.

6. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein said tubular grip member is a woven Wire tube.

BURNS DARSIE.

REFERENCES CITED 'The following references are of record in the i'lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,517,351 Fletcher Dec. 2, 1924 1,519,458 Kauch et al Dec. 16, 1924 1,528,952 Russell et al Mar. 10, 1925 1,810,243 Herlach June 16, 1931 1,320,820 Muller Aug. 25, 1931 2,404,958 Green et al July 30, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number l Country Date 369,212 Italy Mar. 15, 1939 

